Road signal



Dec. 25, 1923. 1,478,972

c. E. LYMAN ROAD SIGNAL Filed April 18 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 @3 9 .Z. 0 2 l6 l2 3 anwmtoz Snows;

' Dec. 25, 1923. 1,478,972

. E. LYMAN ROAD SIGNAL Filed April 18 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ig .6. I2 /b I 9 I 1221 "III s\\\-: III! amewtoz 0' E113 man/ Momma Patented Dec. 25, 1923.

UNITED STATES CHARLES E. LYMAN, OF ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA.

ROAD SIGNAL.

Application filed April 18, 1919. Serial 110. 290,981.

To (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES E. LYMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Asheville. in the county of Buncombe and State of North Carolina, have invented new and useful Improvements in Road Signals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in road signals, and has for its object the provision of a signal which is operated by a vehicle traveling in its direction, as a notification of its approach, but will not be acted upon to operate the signal by a vehicle traveling in an opposite direction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a signal which may form part of a roadway passage or other travelled way,

' which will be acted upon by vehicles travelling thereover, one o the novel features of the invention residing in the .character of the obstruction and its manner of operating the signal.

Another feature of the invention is to provide'means in connection with an electrically operated signal. for retardingthe opening of a normally closed switch, so that when the latter is closed by the passage of the "ehicle, its opening will be retarded and the period of operation of the signal lengthened.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the following description is read in connection with the accompanying drawings:

In the drawings Figure 1 is a top plan view of a road signal embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a similar view on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view'on the line 44 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a transverse section a modified form of signal and Figure 6 is a sectional view of a further modified form.

Figures 7 and 8 are detail'views illustrating the operation of the dash-pot and the circuit closer operated thereby.

In the various embodiments of the invention illustrated, the signal is shown in connection with a roadway, but it may be used at various other places. for example, in the passages of factories or other buildings, or

showing in the passages of mines, or may be used in connection with an elevator or lift or for various other pur oses.

In the form 0 the invention shown in Figure 1 to 4, the signal, that is the operating member of the signal, is positioned transversely across the roadway and for this purpose there is provided a pit or trench, which may be divided into separate cham bers, for example, the main chamber 10 and an end chamber 11. The pit is surrounded by a preferably metallic frame 12, in which there are provided bearings 13 for a rock shaft or roller 14, the latter extending longitudinally of the pit and havin its ends mounted in the bearings 13. xtending radially from each side of the shaft 14, are horizontally disposed wings 15, the free edges of the said win s extending slightly above the surface of t e road as shown in Figure 2. The side edges of the pit.- adjacent the free edges of the wi 15, are undercut as shown at 16 an are spaced slightly from the free edges of the wings so as to permit of the passage of dirt or gravel into the pit, so that the operation of the device will not be interfered with.

The wings of the roller are maintained in a normally horizontal position thru the medium of springs 17, which rest upon flanges 18 and bear upon the under sur ace of the wings. I

One end of the shaft 14, is provided with a detachable extension 19, which is mounted in bearings in each of the side walls of the end chamber 11. The extension 19 is c0nnected with the shaft 14, through the medium of a tongue and groove connection 20, which permits of the said section being readily detached. Extending radially from the section 19, is an arm 21, which has pivotally secured to its outer end a weighted actuating dog 22, the latter being normally disposed in position for engagement with a sliding. spring actuated contact bar 23. This latter bar is mounted in suitable guides 24 and is held in raised position thru the medium of a spring 25. so that a vehicle passing over the wings in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 2, will depress the dog 22 and move the spring actuated contact bar 23 downward against the action of the spring 25. Located beneath the bar 23 for overlapping sliding contact therewith, is a stationary contact 26, this contact and the Contact bar 23 being included in an electric circuit 27 which also includes a suitable source of electric energy in the form of a battery 28 and a signal 29. The signal 29 may be either audible or visual or both and is designed to be positioned at the point of intersection of two or more road ways, with the roller 14 located a suflicient distance therefrom to permit of a vehicle operating the signal before the former reaches the intersection of the roadway.

It is preferable that the signal be of relatively long duration, and for this purpose there is provided a retarding device, herein shown in the form of a dash pot 30, having an arm 31 connected with the sliding spring actuated contact bar 23, so as to retard the upward movement of the said bar, under the influence of the spring .25 and as the bar 23 has an overlapping sliding contact with the contact 26, the period of contact will be considcrably lengthened and the operation f the signal likewise lengthened.

In order to prevent the operation of the signal by vehicles travelling in a direction opposite to that of the arrow shown in Figure 2, there is provided a pin 32, which is located in the path of the upward movement of the actuating dog 22 and is adapted to contact'with an inclined surface 33 formed on the said dog. Thus, when a vehicle travelling in a direction opposite to that shown by the arrow in Figure 2, depresses the first wing 15, the dog 22, Wlll be thrown suddenly around upon its pivot and before it I again reaches its normal position the opposite wing 15 will have been depressed and the roadway obstruction passed, so that thev dog will not act upon the contact bar 3 to close the circuit.

The invention is susceptible forthe various modifications in the form of the road abutment, and the manner of operating the signals. One of said modifications is illustreated in Figure 5. In this form'ofthe invention the abutment which is in the form of a shaft 34 is mounted in suitable bearings transversely of the roadway within a pit 35, said shaft, being of sufiicient diameter to practically close the opening in the top of the pit. The shaft 34 is provided with a longitudinally extending flange or wing 36, which is normally held in the vertical position through the medium of a weighted arm 37 located diametrically opposite the said flange. This flange extends above the level or surface of the roadway and forms an abutment for contact with vehicles travelling thereover. This will rock the shaft 34 and when the vehicle is travelling in the direction indicated by the arrow, will cause the arms 37 to engage a bulb 38 positioned within the pit 35. This bulb operates a horn 39, located at a remote poi-nt.

In Figure 6 is illustrated a still further modified form of the invention. In this form, the invention is designed for use in connection with conveying logs to a saw, and consists of a plurallty ofshafts 40, mounted in suitable bearings in a beam or frame 41. One of these shafts which is indicated at 42, is provided with a signal arm 43, which is normally disposed at an angle, and carries a signal 44. The shaft- 42 also is provided with a weight 45, which operates within a pit 46 and serves to normally retain the arm 43 in lowered position. The travel of the logs over the shafts 40 and 42 will rotate the said shaft, whereupon the signal 44 will be elevated until the weighted arm 45 reaches a stop 46 and after the passage of the log the signal arm will be returned to normal position thru the action of the weighted arm 45.

The invention is susceptible of various other changes in its form, proportions in minor details of construction and the right is herein reserved to make such changes as properly fall within the scope of the ap- I pended claims.

I claim: I

1. A signal operating mechanism comprising a shaft mounted for rotation transversely across a roadway, a wing carried by and extending longitudinally upon opposite sides of said shaft in the path of a vehicle, for rocking the shaft, an arm extending laterally from said shaft, a signal device, means located in the path of the laterally extending arm and engageable therewith when the shaft is rotated, to operate the signal device and means whereby the signal willbe o erated by movement of one of the wings on y.

2. A signal operating mechanism comprising a shaft mounted for rotation transversely across a roadway, laterally disposed wings extending horizontally upon each side of the shaft and normally positioned slightly above the level of the roadway, means for yieldingly holding the wings in normal position, means operated by the depression of one of the wings by a vehicle travelling in a given direction for operating a signal and means for rendering the signal operating means inactive when the wings are depressed by a vehicle travelling in an opposite direction.

3. A signal operating mechanism comprising a shaft mounted for rotation transversely across a roadway, laterally disposed wings extending horizontally u on each side of the shaft and normally positioned slightly above the level of the roadway, means for yieldingly holding the wings in normal position, a normally 0 en switch, means op erated by the depression of one of the wings by a vehicle travelling in a given direction to close the switch, means for retarding the opening of the switch and means whereby the switch closing means will be inactive when the wings are depressed by a vehicle travelling in an opposite direction.

4. A signal operating mechanism comprising a shaft mounted for rotation transversely across a roadway, laterally disposed wings extendin horizontally upon each side of the shaft an normally positioned slightly above the level of the roadway, means for yieldingly holding the wings in normal position, a normally open switch, a pivoted actuating dog, means for moving the do into contact with said switch by the depression of one of the wings to close the switch, means for retarding the opening of the switch and means whereby, when the shaft is rotated by the depression of the other wing, the pivoted dog will be moved out of the path of the switch to render the signal inactive.

5. A signal operating mechanism comprising a shaft mounted for rotation transversely across aroadway, laterally disposed wings extending horizontally upon each side of the shaft and normally positioned slightly above the level of the roadway, means for yieldingly holding the wings in normally inactive position, a normally open switch, a pivoted actuating dog, means for moving the dog into contact with said switch by the depression of one of the wings to close the switch, means for retarding the opening of the switch, a pin located in the path of the dog and a shoulder formed on said dog for contact with the pin, whereby a vehicle travelling in an opposite direction will move the pivoted dog out of the path of the switch and render the signal operating mechanism inactive.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

oHAizLEs E. LYMAN. 

